Waiting Woman

Do you know me? Una wondered. Una was waiting for someone to tell her who she was.

Una and Larue looked at each other as the steady beating of rain on the roof swelled and the windows streamed. "Look down there, to the water," said Larue. "Do you see?"

Uncertain, Una stood up and went to the window. "Yes," she nodded.

"Well, come sit down. But think of it." Una sat. "Down there at the water far below, on the rocks, a woman waited. She waited for a very long time." Larue paused. "Can you imagine that?"

"Yes."

"She sat on the small round rocks and while she sat her hair grew so long she could sit on it too. Her pale skin darkened and her hair turned light from the sun. She sat on the rocks and waited. At night she asked the waves to be quiet so she might hear what she couldn't see." Larue got up and put a kettle on.

"What did she do?"

"She thought."

"Oh."

"She thought a lot." Larue glanced back at Una, seemed to approve of her, and continued.